Demi Lovato didn't want to appear in the music video for her new single, "Made In The USA," but recently revealed in an interview with MTV News that her label Hollywood Records pushed her to make a cameo appearance in star-spangled pop song's MV.
"I wanted to be all behind the camera," Lovato told MTV News of her directorial debut. "And then my label and everyone was like, 'You have to be in the video, it's your song.' So, I was like, 'Alright, fine, I'll be in the video.' And that's why it's just a few performance shots, and I also wanted to tie the performance into how they met."
Lovato originally came up with the treatment for the video, in which she plays an omniscient narrator in the background of an epic love story between two young people - played by "Friday Night Lights" actress Aimee Teegarden and "90210" actor Dustin Milligan - that meet at a carnival and fall madly in love, one of them going off to fight in Afghanistan as the other anxiously and emotionally awaits their return. It's more of a short film than a traditional performance vid, and as Lovato co-directed it with Ryan Polatta, it has become her artistic pride and joy.
"I was listening to it, and that's what came to mind. There was no reason, it was just something in my mind while I was listening to the song," Lovato told MTV backstage at Philadelphia's Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Summer concert. "And I knew it was going to be my next single from my album and this is what I do: If I know what my next single is, I'm immediately thinking of the concept. I wanted it to look like a short film."
The star admitted in a behind-the-scenes exclusive that she was "geeking out" in behind takes, running back and forth between the cameras and the monitors to take a look at all the cool shots being filmed, most of which were her original ideas.
"I always wanted to [direct] when I was younger, then I just had the opportunity this time and I was like, 'Oh my god, I have to take advantage of this,'" she told MTV News. "So I came up with the idea for the treatment, and I told my manager this is what I want on this second and on this shot and this to happen...and want this camera to pan that way and he was like, 'Why don't you just direct it?' and I was like, 'OK!'"
The star was dismayed whenever she had to go into hair and make-up and leave her place behind the camera, which was quickly beginning to love.
"I was just directing other people and that was pretty awesome," Lovato said. "I got really into it, I was like yelling."
There is no word yet on what Lovato's next single will be, but many fans are hoping for it to her collaboration with Cher Lloyd, a bratty bubblegum anthem called "Really Don't Care."
You can catch more of Demi Lovato in her next creative role as a judge and mentor on the third season of the U.S. "The X-Factor," which premieres this September.
Source: Instagram
